26^TH May 2008

Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State who just returned from a working visit to Egypt has concluded arrangement on how the Egyptian authorities can partner with his state to develop and utilise the 20,000 hectare of land at Gurara Dara for irrigation farming.

According to a statement from the governor's office, the irrigation development scheme will see experts from the Egyptian ministry of water resources coming over to his state to assess the situation and also partner in training agricultural personnel.

Governor Sambo while in Egypt with a team of government officials from Kaduna also held talks on areas relating to soil, water and environmental research institute (SWERI).

An agreement was reached to come up with procedures, modalities and a memorandum of understanding on how experts from the institute and state official can work together.

A university of medicine in Egypt is also to partner with the Kaduna State university in pre-clinical studies, provision of health and medical facilities, establishment of chemical laboratory and the development and expansion of water treatment.

At the same time, the general authority for investment and free zones is to help the state in the recruitment of 50 medical doctors in various fields.

The governor led a team that included the commissioner of agriculture, Ahmed Abdullahi; chairman of the House Committee on agriculture in the state assembly, Abdullahi Maikano and several others.